Hermann unzicker



(No Kmiek.) 3 Sheets-Sheet'l H. UNZICKBR. DOUGH DIVIDING MACHINE. N0.@8590. Patented May 30, 1893. I

(No Model.) v 3- Sh'eets-Sheet 2.

' UNZIOKBR.

-DOUGH DIVIDING MACHINE. I

No. 498,590; Patented Ma 30, 1893.

(No Model.) v 3 Sheets-Sheet s.

- H. UNZIC-KER.

'DOUGH DIYIDING' MAGHINB.

Patented. May 30,, 1893,

I Ar/l/l/ 1.

U NITED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

HERMANN UNZICKER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO WILLIAM A SCHMIDT,OF SAME PLACE.

DOUGH-DIVIDING MACHINE.

SPEGIFIQATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 498,590, dated May 30,1893.

Application filed July 19, 1892. Serial No. 440,561. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERMANN UNZICKER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Dough-Dividing Machines;and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to a novel construction in dough-dividingmachines, and is designed as an improvement upon the machine shown inthe patent to F. Herbst and G. Seidel, No. 269,288, granted December 19,1892.

The invention consists in the features of construction and combinationsof parts hereinafter fully described and pointed out inthe appendedclaims.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating my invention,-Figure 1 is arear end elevation of a dough-dividing machine constructed in accordancewith myinvention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same taken from therighthand of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line 3-3 ofFig. 2. Fig. 4 is a top plan view of'the cover in detail. Fig. 5

'is a top plan View, in detail, of the movable ring cutting the platesand followers. Fig. 6 is a fragmentary vertical section on the line 6-6of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a sectional detail view of an oil cylinder forregulating the movement of the piston. rod.

Referring now to said drawings, A indicates an annular table that issecured upon two standards B and B, which standards are suitably bracedby tie rods. Secured to the lower edge of said table A is a saddle plate1 that is provided at about its center with an opening or bearing 2 thatis adapted to form a guide for a sleeve 3. Located within and projectingabove said table is a cutter frame consisting preferably of a circularplate or knife 4 and a series of radial plates or knives 6 and 7. Thesaid knives at, 6 and 7are suitably secured to each other by means oflugs 8 upon the side edges of said knives 6 and 7 that are securedwithin openings in the circular knives 4. The said knives 7 are alsoprovided on their outer edges with lugs 9 that are secured withinopenings in the table A, as shown in Fig. 6. their lower edges withprojections 10 that are rigidly secured to upright rods 11 mounted uponand secured to the saddle plate 1. In this way it will be seen that theknives 4, 6 and 7 are all rigidly secured together and to the frame ofthe machine, so as to provide a rigid cutter frame, and it will be notedthat the compartments formed between the dilferent knives are arrangedto contain the same quantity of dough, as will be obvious.

Located between the knives and within the compartments formed thereby isa series of followers 13 and 14, said followers fitting nicely betweenthe knives, while the outer edges of the followers 14 form a circleconcentrio with the juncture of the knives 6. said followers 13 and 14are mounted respectively upon posts 15 and 16, and said posts aresecured to a plate or disk 17 located below the lower edges of thecutter frame, and said plate 17 is secured to another plate or disk 18that is carried by an upright rod 19. It will, of course, be understoodthat said disks 17 and 18 are provided with suitable openings throughwhich the projections Not the knives 6 pass. The said upright rod 19passes through the sleeve or guide-3 and is geared to the end of avibrating lever 20 mounted upon a shaft 21 located in bearings on thestandards B.

It will, of course, be understood that the rod 19 and lever 20 can begeared to each other in various ways, but as a preferred construction Iform upon the lower end of said rod 19 a toothed rack 22 thatintermeshes The said knives 6 are provided at The with a toothed segment23 carried by said lever 20, and on the opposite side of said rod 19from that upon which the rack 22 is located I provide a guide pulley orroller 24 mounted upon a shaft 25 located in the bearings upon saidstandards. Said guide roller 24: serves to hold the rack 22 inengagement with the segment 23 and confines. the movement of said rod.The said lever20 is weighted at its other end, as shown at 26, andthereby serves, by reason of the gearing between its other end and therod 19, to hold said rod 19 and the followers at the upper limit oftheir movement, as shown in Figs. 3 and 6, whereby the upper faces ofsaid followers are flush with the upper or cutting ends of the knives 4,6 and 7. The said lever is provided with a lateral projection 27 that islocated to engage a stop 28 mounted upon a lug 29 on the standard B soas to limit the downward movement of said weighted end of the lever. Asa further and separate improvement the said stop 28 is made elastic oryielding to provide a cushion, and is also adjustably connected with thelug 29 by means of a nut 30 upon said stop engaging a screw-threadedbolt 31 upon said lug 29. From the foregoing it will be seen that thedownward movement of the weighted arm of the lever 20 canbe regulatedand controlled so as to always bring the upper faces of the followersflush with the upper edges of the cutter frame.

To provide a cushion to break and gradually stop the descent of theweighted end of the lever 20 I employ a spring arm 32 that is secured atone end to a shaft 33 mounted in hearings on the standards, and havingits free end located in the path of the weight 26.

' To hold said shaft from turning, an arm 34 is secured thereto near oneend of the same, and the outer end of said arm 34 is located to engagethe standard B. In this way it will be seen that the spring arm 32 willengage the weight 26 as it descends, and byits elasticity will cushionsuch descent, it being noted that said spring arm is located to engagethe said weight 26 before the lug 27 of said lever 20 engages the stop28. To regulate the tension which the spring arm 32 will exert tocushion the descent of the weight 26, I provide an adjustable connectionbetween the arm 34 and the standard B which is attained by a set screw35 passing through the arm 34 and engaging said standard B. A jam nut 36is employed to hold the set screw in its adjusted position.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that by elevating ordepressing the arm 34 the spring 32 will be raised or lowered toregulate the tension thereof, in an obvious manner. I

A ring 37 fits snugly around the outer edges of the followers 14 and theouter edges of the knives 7 and rests normally upon the upper edge ofthe table A. When said ring 37 is in this position the upper edgethereof is flush with the upper faces of said followers and the cutterframe. The outerface of said ring 37 is provided with an angular flange38 that is connected by means of upright rods 39 with a yoke 40 that isrigidly connected with the sleeve 3, whereby said yoke is guided in itsup and down movement. vices for raising and lowering said yoke areconstructed as follows: Located in bearings upon the standards is ashaft 41 that is pro- .vided with crank arms 42 rigidly secured thereto,and connected by means of links 43 with eye-lugs 44 rigidly secured tosaid yoke The .de-

40, said links 43 having a pivotal connection with said crank arms 42and eye-lugs 44. On the end of the shaft 41 is mounted a crank arm 45that is connected by means of a pitman 46 with a piston rod 47 that isadapted to be moved by a piston within the cylinder 48. The valve 49controls the admission of steam or other medium to the cylinder whichserves to move the piston and piston rod 47 in either direction asdesired, in an obvious manner. The said valve 49 is controlled by ahandle 50 pivoted to the standard B and connected with said valve 49 bya rod 51. On the standard B, just opposite the cylinder 48, is anothercylinder 52 within which is located a piston 53 rigidly secured to theother end of the piston rod 47. The said cylinder 52 is filled with oilor other suitable fluid, and the opposite ends of the cylindercommunicate with each other by pipe or passage 54 outside of thecylinder.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the movement of the piston rod47 is gradual, for the oil within the cylinder 52 on one side of thepiston 53 has to pass through the pipe 54 to the other side of thepiston 53, and as such pipe 54 is rather small the passage of the oiltherethrough will be comparatively slow, so that the movement of thepiston 47 under the influence of the steam will be controlled by thepiston 53 within the cylinder 52. In this way a gradual and evenmovement of the piston 47, and parts connected therewith, is assured,and such movement can be regulated or adjusted by a valve 55 whichcontrols the passage of the oil through the pipe 54.

A cover 56 is hinged at one side to lugs 57 secured to the flanges 38 ofthe ring, and is adapted when closed down upon said ring 37 to close theupper end thereof. The said cover is held open normally by a weightedarm 58 secured thereto, which is sufficient when the cover is notsecured in its closed position to elevate the same, and rising from thelugs 57 are two posts 59, each of which is provided at its upper endwith an opening through which passes the stem of a buffer 61, betweenwhich buffer and the front face of the arm 59 is located a rubber orelastic cushion 62. A pin 63 passes through the stem 60 in the rear ofthe post 59 and serves to retain the buffer in position. The saidbufiers 61 are located to engage contact faces 64 on said cover 56, sothat when the cover is elevated by the weighted arm 58 said buffers 61will engage the contact faces 64 and limit the movement of said cover.To hold the cover down upon the ring two hooks 65 are rigidly secured toa rock shaft 66 mounted in bearing lugs 67 upon the said flange 38. Thesaid hooks 65 are adapted to engage latches 68 in said cover when thecoveris closed down upon the ring and are held in such position by aleaf spring 69 secured at one end to the ring and hearing at its freeend against one of said latches, while the other of said hooks isprovided with a handle 70, by means of which said hooks can be retractedfrom engagement with latches 68.

The parts being constructed and arranged as described, the operation isas follo ws: When it is desired to divide a piece of dough the parts arebrought to the position shown in Fig. 3 and the hooks are then retractedto permit the weighted arm 58 to elevate the cover 56 so as to exposethe upper faces of the followers which are flush with the cutting edgesof the knives. A piece of dough is then thrown upon said followers andthe handle 50 is moved so as to admit steam into the cylinder 48 tomovethe piston so as'to elevate the yoke 40 and ring 37, until said ring37 is above the dough. The operator then closes the cover 56 upon thering and throws the handle 50 in an opposite direction to bring saidring andcover down. During the descent of these.

parts the cover will press the dough out uniformly to fill the spaceinside of the ring 37 between the cover 56 vand the followers, so as toform it into a circular cake of equal thickness. The force or powerexerted by the weighted arm 26 serves tohold the followers at the upperlimit of their movement, while the dough is being thus pressed out bythe cover 56, but when the circular cake of even thickness is formed,-the followers will then be depressed as the cover and ring descendfarther, so that the followers will sink down between the cutters as thecover 56 approaches the same. When the cover reaches the cutter frame,and the ring 37 is at the lower limit of its movement, the followerswill be depressed to an extent equal to the thickness of the cake ofdough, and, of course, the weighted arm 20 will be elevated, and as soonas this position is reached the handle 50 is operated to bring thepiston in the cylinder, 48 to a standstill, whereupon the hooks areretracted from engagementwith the latches so as to release the cover 56which is then elevated by the weighted arm 58, as before described. Assaid cover is released and rises, the force exerted by the weighted arm20 upon the rod 19 serves to lift said rod 19 and the followers carriedthereby, until they reach the upper limit of their movement which isregulated by the engagement of the lateral lug 27 on said arm 20 withthe stop 28 on the standard B. This lifts the divided dough cake abovethe cutter frame so that the said pieces can be removed and the machinebe in readiness to receive another block of dough. It will, of course,be noted that the spring arm 32 serves to prevent a sudden jar when theweighted arm 20 is stopped in its downward movement, as the weight uponsaid arm is comparatively heavy, and, in the absence of suchbuftingdevice, w-culd subject the machine to great wear. By adjusting thetension with which said spring arm32 bears against the weighted arm 20when the latter is at the lower limit of its movement, it will bereadily seen that the machine can be adapted for operation .upon'doughof different degrees of stiffness. secured to the shaft 21 and servesasa means for turning said shaft, for the purpose of lowering thefollowers when the cutters are to be cleaned, or for giving anadditional pressure to the dough cake to that which is brought vabout bythe weighted lever 20, so that when a very small lump of dough, or-verystiff A hand lever 71 is.

dough is to be divided, it insures a uniform spreading of the dough overthe entire faces of the followers before said followers are to yield. r

I claim as my invention 1. The combination substantially ashereinbeforelset forth in a dough-dividing ma-.

chine, ofa stationary cutter frame, followers located between the knivesof said frame, an upright rod moun ed in bearings on the frame of themachine and connected with said followers, devices for holding saidfollowers in a yielding manner at the upper limit of their movement, aring surrounding said cutter frame and rigidly connected with a yoke 40mounted in guides upon the frame of the machine, arock-s'haft 41 mountedupon the frame of the machineand connected with said yoke to reciprocatethe same, a piston rod 47 operated by a piston within a cylinder 48, andgearing. between said piston rod and rock-shaft to ro- ICC machine,links 43 connected with said yoke and with crank-arms 42 upon arockvshaft 4L mounted in bearings upon the frame of the machine, apiston rod 47 operated bya piston withina cylinder '48, and gearingbetween said piston rod and rock-shaft to rotate said rock-shaft by, thereciprocation of said piston rod. 7

v 3. The combinationsubstantially as hereinbefore set forth in adoughdividing n1achine, of a stationary cutter frame, followers locatedbetween the knives of said frame, an 1 upright rod mounted in bearingson the frame ofthe machine and connected with said followers, devicesfor holding said followers in a.

yielding manner, at the upper limit of their movement, a ringsurrounding saidrcutter frame and rigidly connected with a yoke 40mounted in guidesupon the frame of the ma chine, arock-shaft 41 mountedupon the frame, of the machine and connected with said yoke toreciprocate the same, apiston rod operated bya pistonwithin a cylinder48, and a 1ink46, pivoted to said piston rod and to a crank arm 45 uponsaid rock-shaft 41.

4. The combination substantially as hereinbefore set forth in adough-dividing machine, of a stationary cutter frame, followers locatedbetween the knives of said frame, an upright rod mounted in bearings onthe frame of the machine and connected With said followers, devices forholding said followers in a yielding manner at the upper limit of theirmovement, a ring surrounding said cutter frame and rigidly connectedwith a yoke mounted in guides upon the frame of the machine, arock-shaft 41 mounted upon the frame of the machine and connected withsaid yoke to reciprocate the same, a piston rod 47 operated by a pistonwithin a cylinder 48, and gearing between said piston rod and rock-shaftto rotate said rock-shaft by the reciprocation of said piston rod, andanother piston 53 upon said piston rod 47 located within a cylinder 52adapted to contain a suitable fluid, and a pipe or passage to establisha communication between the opposite ends of said cylinder,substantially as described. W

5. The combination substantially as hereinbefore set forth in adough-dividing machine, of a stationary cutter frame, a ring surroundingsaid cutter frame and provided with a cover, devices, substantially asdescribed, for operating said ring, followers located between the knivesof said cutter frame, an upright rod 19 connected with said followers,devices for elevating said rod 19, and a guide roller 24 mounted uponthe frame of the machine and located adjacent to said upright rod 19,substantially as described.

6. The combination substantially as hereinbefore set forth in adough-dividing machine, of a stationary cutter frame, a ring surroundingsaid cutter frame and provided with a cover, devices, substantially asdescribed, for operating said ring, followers located between the knivesof said cutter frame, an upright rod 19 connected with said follow- 7ers and retained by guides upon the frame of the machine, a rock-shaft21 geared to said rod 19, a Weighted arm upon said rock-shaft 21, and aspring support for said weighted arm 21.

7. The combination substantially as hereinbefore set forth in adough-dividing machine, of a stationary cutter frame, a ring surroundingsaid cutter frame and provided with a cover, devices, substantially asdescribed, for operating said ring, followers located between the knivesof said cutter frame, an upright rod 19 connected with said followersand retained by guides upon the frame of the machine, a rock-shaft 21geared to said rod 19, a weighted arm upon said rock-shaft 21, and anadjustable spring support for said weighted arm 21.

8. The combination substantially as hereinbefore set forth in adough-dividing machine, of a stationary cutter frame, a ring I 21, aspring arm 32 secured to a shaft 33 mounted upon the frame of themachine and located in the path of said weighted arm 21, and an arm 34upon said shaft located to engage the frame of the machine.

9. The combination substantially as hereinbefore set forth in adough-dividing machine, of a stationary cutter frame, a ring surroundingsaid cutter frame and provided with a cover, devices, substantially asdescribed, for operating said ring, followers located between the knivesof said cutter frame, an upright rod 19 connected with said followersand retained by guides upon the frame of the machine, a rock-shaft 21geared to said rod 19, a Weighted arm upon said rock-shaft 21, a springarm 32 secured to a shaft 33 mounted upon the frame of the machine andlocated in the path of said weighted arm 21, and an arm 34 upon saidshaft provided with a set screw located to engage the frame of themachine.

10. The combination substantially as hereinbefore set forth in adough-dividing machine, of a stationary cutter frame, a ring surroundingsaid cutter frame and provided with a cover, devices, substantially asdescribed, for operating said ring, followers located between the knivesof said cutter frame, an upright rod 19 connected with said followersand retained by guides upon the frame of the machine, a rock-shaft 21geared to said rod 19, a weighted arm upon said rock-shaft 21, ayielding support for said weighted arm, and a stop to limit the downwardmovement of said weighted arm.

11. The combination substantially as hereinbefore set forth in adough-dividing machine, of a stationary cutter frame, a ring surroundingsaid cutter frame and provided with a cover, devices, substantially asdescribed, for operating said ring, followers located between the knivesof said cutter frame, an upright rod 19 connected with said followersand retained by guides upon the frame of the machine,a rock-shaft 21geared to said rod 19, a weighted arm upon said rock-shaft 21, ayielding support for said weighted arm, and a yielding stop upon theframe of the machine located in the path of said Weighted arm.

12. The combination substantially as hereinbefore set forth in adough-dividing machine, of a stationary cutter frame, a ring surroundingsaid cutter frame and provided with a cover, devices, substantially asdescribed, for Operating said ring, followers located between the knivesof said cutter frame,

an "upright rod 19 connected with said followers and retained by guidesupon the frame of the machine, a rock-shaft 21 geared to said rod 19, aweighted arm upon said rock-shaft 21, a yielding support for saidweighted arm, and an adjustable stop upon the frame of the machinelocated in the path of said weighted arxn.

In testimony whereof Iaffix my signature 1n presence of two witnesses.

HERMANN UN'ZIOKER.

Witnesses: c 7

- HARRY COBB KENNEDY;

RUDOLPH W. LOTZ.

